Jonny B88
Member
- Location
- ballykelly. NI
What's folks consensus on applying p and k, one dump in the spring with DAP or MOP or the little and often approach through compounds?
Fertiliser for Grazing - what do you do?
- Thread starter Grouse
- Start date
Jonny B88
Member
- Location
- ballykelly. NI
Is that paddock grazing then? Sucklers or dairy?
spin cycle
Member
- Location
- north norfolk
thats my take at my early 'sheep grass' growing career .....but why put it on all at once?...i'm experimenting putting 40 units n on the grass about 10 days before i want it? otherwise it'll all come ready at once?
We lamb from end of feb to end of april in two batches so it works quite well, i do have grass kept up from the previous november which is usually well trimmed by paddys day and the other ground starts to green up so it all evens out, when iv near 1500 ewes and lambs out by end of april every bit of grass is wanted! In a normal year its got going by that stage!
Colin6080
Member
- Location
- Southern Ireland
Paddock grazing with dairy cows. During the summer cows get little to no meal so we need the high grass growth due to being stock heavily
multi power
Member
- Location
- pembrokeshire
If I was using only nitram and muck I would drop the nitram and establish some clover
What price is nitram? Clover is pretty much free
What price is nitram? Clover is pretty much free
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
It depends on soil reserves (indices). If indices are reasonable then I don't think it matters when you put it on as you are just applying maintenance. If soil reserves are low, then you would get a benefit from applying DAP early, to give the grass something to take up.
Jonny B88
Member
- Location
- ballykelly. NI
We have a field that's soil tested very poor...0, 0 in fact. If we were to apply all at once in Spring is there not a chance of it not all being utilised as there will be a lot of units required. Also ph is at 6.3 I think. I hope to spread a good heavy coat of FYM on it in the autumn
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
Crikey! 0,0.
A good dollop of FYM will certainly pay dividends.I'm led to believe DAP n the Spring is like rocket fuel on soils like that. I'd only apply enough to satisfy the P requirement though, with any additional N going in later as urea (or whatever suits). K can go on any time normally, as it's only slowly taken up.
- Location
- Kirriemuir
Plenty of FYM would certainly be a good start but make sure its well rotted otherwise it could make things even worse in the short term. When applying any fertilizers 'little and often' will be the best way to go to avoid too much immediate lock up.
Running with soil indices of zero is certainly possible but it is trying to run a bank account with no overdraft and no savings so no room for error
Lovegoodstock
Member
- Location
- Buckinghamshire
We stocky heavy and re seed regularly with heavy clover leys. Still a fan of fert, 25-5-5 normally at 100k/acre, but isn't it a case younger leys respond more efficiently than older leys? Ok a double investment if you like, but we carry a bit of stock, normally over a year, 3 sheep per acre, 1 cow to acre, 2 yearlings per acre with 15 per cent cereals, 15 per cent silage ground
Philip Watkins
Member
- Location
- Back in Shropshire
Why drop the nitram completely? Use some early season before the clover gets going for early grass.
multi power
Member
- Location
- pembrokeshire
That's probably even better idea
Jonny B88
Member
- Location
- ballykelly. NI
How can it make things even worse in the short term? Too acidic? Only stuff we have would be out the shed or midden which is only this past winters dung. Would slurry from a digester be a better option in that case, may have access to that.
Jonny B88
Member
- Location
- ballykelly. NI
Crikey! 0,0.
I'm led to believe DAP n the Spring is like rocket fuel on soils like that. I'd only apply enough to satisfy the P requirement though, with any additional N going in later as urea (or whatever suits). K can go on any time normally, as it's only slowly taken up.
I believe that field is also compacted and would like to sub soil it, would that cause lock up?
We applied DAP and MOP to a couple other fields which are also poor, not quite as bad, to see if there is much different in the little and often approach.
Unfortunately we have a lot of sub fertile fields!
I'd look at fibrophos if indexes were that bad.
Bossfarmer
Member
- Location
- between Perth and Inverness
I had to batches of cows in fields next each other last summer, one lot got barley in a trough each day the other didn't, u want to see the difference in grass this spring between the two fields, no comparison
So on say a 300 acre farm you would be running 900 ewes, 300 suckler cows and 600 yearling store cattle on 255 of the acres in grass? And on 210 of the acres when you've turned out for silage?
Cab-over Pete
Member
- Location
- Kenilworth, Warwickshire
I've done no end of Fibrophos spreading on grazing ground in the spring, especially where indices have been historically very low. Once the levels get up they seem to take care of themselves.
There is a grazing withdrawal period of two weeks recommended, but most seem to just ignore it.
There is a grazing withdrawal period of two weeks recommended, but most seem to just ignore it.